Lishian nods. "...thats fair. Its a bit odd for mw, seeing as most people dont get age-halted for 50 years or so. My friend is still salty about the whole age-halting thing, almost fought someoen because they accidently insulted his age."

"oh that sounds horrible! eli exclaims, throwing an arm over me "my great aunt was age-frozen, cursed by the same witch who cursed zoe's bloodline" she says, gesturing towards me."oh yeah, she still dresses like it's the 1950's, but it's actually pretty cute" i nod, smiling.

"so, uh, what now?" i ask, glancing around. "well, if we're looking for a black market, and Genji runs this place, maybe we should find whoever that is?" Eli suggests, shrugging.

Hanako came back with a sparkly drink that had a strawberry in it.

"So, guess what? This place is basiaclly a bigger interspace! I think. Maybe. I dont think the Narrators have a connection here. But they take Japanese currency! And theres a cute shop three doors down i wanna see."

"How do you have money?" Lish grumbled

"I forgot i kept some in my hairbuns! Sorry!"

"well at least we have some money!" Eli says, sipping her drink. "now, how do you suppose we navigate this place?" she wonders, looking at all the dancing people between up and the small door with the red "exit" sign above it.

"We dance our way to the exit and get Hanako to hook up with some extra-drunk guy for information." Lishian shrugs.

"Eww, gross-"

"Hanako, you literally hang out with Callum's brother, this is literall your ballpark."

"Cole doesn't drink, Lishian." Hanako huffed, but disappeared into the crowd again.

"She'll be fine, she's great at being ultra-flirty. Likes to overdo her Japanese heritage for some reason." Lishian shrugs at the witches. "Would be nice to know where in Soleli we are."

"maybe we just ask?" i shrug, watching the girl dissapear into the crowd. eli seems to agree with me, and grabs the nearest person, flipping them around.

"hey, hi, sorry to bother you, would you by any chance know where we are?" she asks. the woman shakes her head, pointing to her head and motioning that she can't hear. eli apologizes and steps back, crashing into a large bounced behind her.

the bouncer grabs Eli's shoulder with one hand, holding Hanako in the other. "Genji would like to see you" he says, pulling the pair behidn him. i'm not letting them go alone, and with nothing else to do i follow the large man.

Lishian follows them since....well. Why not. He shrugs at the woman who couldnt hear Eli in what he hopes is an apolgetic motion.

Hanako looks confused. "Uh whats happening?"

the bouncer doesn't answer Hanakos question, but i get the feeling it's because he doesn't know either, and not because he doesn't want us to know. he guides us away from the exit and towards a small stair case across from it, guarded by two more bouncers.

the two men guarding the staircase part for us, allowing us to walk up the staircase. its a short, uncomfortable walk up the stairs and to a small office above the dance floor. when the man closes the door behind us, it dampens all noise of the party below until it's almost silent.

now that i can hear myself think, i take the time to study the office. it's nice, actually. with dark wood walls and a red carpeted floor. there's a desk infornt of us made of the same dark wood as the walls, and across from it is a red couch, which i sit on.

the chair behind the desk isn't facing us, but i can see the very top of somones head over the back of it, and i watch as they slowly spin the chair to be faing us. it's a man, probably mid twenties, with lime green hair and brown eyes. he looks to be of asian descent and he has a big smile on his face as his eyes land on us.

"hello there, friends" he greets, clasping his hands in front of him.

"Drop the dramatics, this ain't a movie. What do you want?" Hanako snaps.

Lishian give sher a look, before fixing the personw ith an overly charming smile matched with hos calculating eye. "My apologies for my friend's lack of tact, sir. You wished to see us?" His voice has turned to something....well, he no longer sounds like a street kid, jsut as he did with the waitress.

"you're here because you pretended to be one of my dealers" Genji says, leaning forward with a big grin on his face. "and that means you're looking for something"

i hesitate for a moment, before nodding. we're looking for something, and maybe Genji can help us find it. "yes, we're looking for something" eli speaks up, crossing her arms "and i think you can help us find it". the man nods, leaning back. "i can find anything, no matter how rare" he says, eyeing us over "and what would it be that you are looking for?" he asks.